Imperial Husband Chapter 84

Chapter 84

After returning home, Dongzi, just like Zhuzi, immediately washed the sweet potatoes clean and put them in the pot to cook.

Li Jin and the other two sat in the room.

"Huh? Where's Dongzi? Why is Dongzi not here?" Liu Rong came out to greet the newly returned Li Jin and the others and, noticing Dongzi was nowhere to be seen, immediately asked everyone anxiously.

Dashu, knowing Liu Rong was worried about Dongzi, quickly replied, "Rong Fulang, Dongzi has gone to prepare food. He'll be back soon."

So that's what happened.

Hearing that Dongzi had already returned, Liu Rong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then I'll go see how Dongzi is doing."

"No, you can't, Rong Fulang." Dashu hurriedly stepped forward to block Liu Rong's way, saying sheepishly, "Dongzi said he would prepare everything this time. You can't go find him for now."

"Dashu, tell me honestly, what exactly happened to Dongzi?"

Dashu was not skilled at stopping people. Therefore, his words of explanation instead stirred unease in Liu Rong.

To Liu Rong, Dongzi was his important child, someone he absolutely could not lose.

"Dongzi really is fine."

Dashu was speechless. He was clearly telling the truth, but Liu Rong would not believe him.

Li Jin saw Dashu's awkwardness and spoke calmly, "Rong Fulang, please don't worry. Earlier on the mountain, Dongzi found a new kind of food. He is cooking it himself so you can try it."

"Is what Young Master Li says true?"

Compared to Dashu, Liu Rong was still more willing to believe Li Jin and his companions, who had saved their lives.

"Yes."

Li Jin nodded as confirmation.

No sooner said than done.

Just as Li Jin's words were affirmed, Dongzi rushed in holding freshly cooked sweet potatoes. "Amu, come quickly and try this. It's a rare good thing."

"This is..."

Liu Rong was stunned, simultaneously catching the unique aroma of sweet potatoes.

"Sweet potatoes."

Dongzi immediately told Liu Rong about what happened today.

"Young Master Li, I will firmly remember today's kindness in my heart." Upon learning this novel food came from Li Jin, Liu Rong solemnly bowed deeply to him in gratitude.

"Rong Fulang need not thank me. It was just a trifling effort."

Li Jin subtly stopped Liu Rong from bowing.

Seeing this, Liu Rong didn't persist, but the desire in his heart to repay Li Jin and the others grew even stronger.

"Amu, hurry up and try it."

Dongzi once again placed the sweet potato before Liu Rong, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Dongzi, you've worked hard. The sweet potato is delicious."

When Liu Rong said this, his voice was choked with emotion.

If only my health were better, Dongzi wouldn't have to work so hard. It's all my uselessness, it's all my fault...

"Amu, then eat more. There's plenty." Seeing Liu Rong liked it, the smile on Dongzi's lips deepened. Then Dongzi hadn't forgotten to offer the cooked sweet potatoes to Li Jin and the others.

"Heavens, it tastes so sweet, so delicious."

Ping'an, who appeared shortly after, took just one bite of the sweet potato and completely fell in love with its taste.

"Indeed, not bad."

Shi Weixu, standing nearby, also nodded in satisfaction, approving of the sweet potato.

To be honest.

Shi Weixu was not the type who craved sweets, but the moment he tasted the sweet potato earlier, he genuinely liked it.

In an instant.

The atmosphere at Liu Rong's home was exceptionally good.

Dongzi kept thinking about planting the sweet potatoes and couldn't help but ask soon after, "Brother Jin, you said on the mountain earlier that sweet potato seedlings can be planted. What about dry fields? Can they be planted in dry fields too?"

Li Jin nodded and smiled, "Yes. If you have time, I can teach you later."

Dongzi answered instantly, "I have time right now. Brother Jin, sorry to trouble you."

Ever since his family suffered the great change, Dongzi had sincerely hoped his family could eat their fill. So, the moment he heard Li Jin's words earlier, Dongzi's heart was filled with joy.

Liu Rong worriedly said, "Dongzi, rest for a while first. You just got back."

"Amu, I'm not tired."

Dongzi declined Liu Rong's suggestion, determined to learn how to plant sweet potatoes as soon as possible so his family could have enough to eat and stay warm.

Liu Rong knew Dongzi's temperament well; once he decided on something, ten oxen couldn't pull him back. He agreed, but with one condition: Dongzi must not come back too late.

After all, although Li Jin and the others were their benefactors, they were also men. If rumors unfavorable to Dongzi spread, given Dongzi's already poor reputation, finding a good match would be even more difficult.

"Rong Fulang, you don't need to worry about Dongzi. I'll go along too and help you look after Dongzi."

Dashu patted his chest emphatically as a guarantee, clearly already regarding Liu Rong as his future mother-in-law.

"Dashu, then I'll entrust Dongzi to you."

"Leave it to me."

These words from Liu Rong obviously gave Dashu great confidence. Immediately, Dashu stood side-by-side with Dongzi like a protector.

Watching the receding figures of Dongzi and the others, Liu Rong shook his head.

"Dashu... what a shame."

Liu Rong, having experienced life himself, could not fail to see Dashu's affection for Dongzi. But liking someone was one thing, while building a life together was another. Knowing Dashu had such a large family behind him—one that enjoyed tormenting others—no matter how highly Liu Rong thought of Dashu personally, he would never allow Dongzi to marry into that household and suffer.

So he could only say, under his breath, "What a shame."

___

After roughly quite some time, led by Dongzi, Li Jin and the others arrived at Dongzi's family's dry field.

Dongzi looked at Li Jin anxiously and said, "Brother Jin, it's here. Do you think it can work?"

"Let's try first." After saying this, Li Jin had Dashu bring him the sweet potato seedlings prepared earlier. Then, in front of everyone, he planted the seedlings, afterward covering the exposed shoot tips and leaves with soil.

"Uh... will this really work?"

Dongzi couldn't help but swallow hard.

To be honest.

This method of completely burying the seedlings in soil was the first time Dongzi had encountered it.

"Yes." Li Jin nodded. "This method of planting sweet potatoes is called the 'burying the head' method. It makes the seedlings more drought-resistant. Then, after two or three days, you can go remove the soil covering the seedlings. One thing you must remember, the soil placed on the seedlings must not be too much, only up to this position is fine."

After saying this, Li Jin gestured with his hand to Dongzi, letting Dongzi firmly remember the thickness of soil over the seedlings.

"Alright, I'll try."

After listening to Li Jin's explanation, Dongzi immediately rolled up his sleeves and buried himself in trying the method Li Jin described.

Shi Weixu looked at Li Jin, thoughtfully cupped his hands and said, "Young Master, you are truly knowledgeable. Not only do you know this thing is called sweet potato, but you even know how to plant them. I truly admire you."

Li Jin smiled slightly, "I merely read about it in miscellaneous books. We don't even know if it can be grown successfully yet."

"So that's how it is."

Shi Weixu nodded, not pursuing the matter further.

"Brother Jin, I'm going to help Dongzi." Seeing Dongzi toiling alone in the dry field, Dashu's heart ached. After saying this to Li Jin and the others, he also rolled up his sleeves and went down into the field to help Dongzi.

Li Jin watched the youthful appearance of Dongzi and Dashu for a while, then suddenly inquired, "A-Yuan, do you think things can work out between Dashu and Dongzi?"

"Hard to say."

Before Liu Rong showed that disapproving look, Ying Yuan felt Dashu's chances were quite high, because from the interactions with Dongzi these past days, it was completely clear that Dongzi also had feelings for Dashu.

"Is that so?" Li Jin raised an eyebrow and smiled, "A-Yuan, look at Dashu's eyes."

His eyes?

Ying Yuan immediately followed Li Jin's line of sight and quickly saw that Dashu's eyes were filled with determination.

"See it?"

Li Jin's gaze fell on Ying Yuan.

"Mhm." Ying Yuan nodded. "It's good he has resolve. But whether his resolve is enough to make Rong Fulang believe is another matter."

"Then why don't we make a bet?"

"A bet?"

Li Jin said unhurriedly the terms of the bet, "If Rong Fulang accepts Dashu, you do one thing for me. Conversely, I do one thing for you."

"This... alright, I accept the bet."

Although Ying Yuan felt it was a bit strange for Li Jin to suddenly say this, after thinking about it, he still agreed.

"Very good, then it's settled."

Li Jin reached out his hand to Ying Yuan.

"Settled."

Ying Yuan also reached out and hooked fingers with Li Jin.

This was an action Li Jin and Ying Yuan had done since childhood whenever they made a serious promise.

"Zhou Yunting, the young master and he..."

Ping'an watched their childish behavior, the corner of his mouth twitching involuntarily.

"Ping'an, should we make a bet too?" Zhou Yunting looked at him meaningfully, a swift glint of playfulness flashing in his eyes. "If you win, I can..."

"I don't want to! You're definitely trying to trick me."

Ping'an stuck his tongue out at Zhou Yunting, turned, and ran off.

"Ping'an, I'm serious. Why won't you believe me?" Zhou Yunting chased after him with a smiling face, his eyes filled with unconcealed doting.

"Young people these days..."

Shi Weixu shook his head, looking like someone who had been through it all.

At the same time.

The news of Dongzi and the others planting sweet potatoes spread in just one afternoon, attracting many curious villagers who came to watch.

But when they saw Dongzi completely covering the seedlings with soil, they all showed mocking and heartbroken expressions, unanimously believing Dongzi's actions were ruining the sweet potato seedlings.

The reason for the villagers' drastic change in attitude was still the credit of Zhuzi's family.

Zhuzi's grandmother couldn't keep things to herself. Ever since she learned sweet potatoes were delicious and could fill the stomach, she started promoting them in the village, instantly making the villagers who had made sarcastic remarks to Dongzi today regret it deeply.

If only they had known earlier that Dongzi's sweet potato was such a good thing, they should have held their tongues.

Although Zhuzi's grandmother was a loudmouth, she never told lies and was very straightforward. This was why the villagers came to believe so quickly that sweet potatoes were a good thing. Some villagers even developed malicious intentions.

"Heavens, what Dongzi is doing is just ruining them! Wouldn't it be better to give them to me to plant?"

"Such a good thing, how was it discovered by Dongzi?"

"No, let's go find the village chief. Although Dongzi discovered these sweet potatoes, they were something from the mountains. How can he take all the benefits for himself?"

"That's right, let's go find the village chief to make a decision, and have Dongzi tell where he found this thing."